With Thanksgiving right around the corner and a Pandemic creating new challenges for all of us, finding ways to be thankful and holding onto gratitude really needs to be taking center stage.
Here are 6 tips/ways for families to create thankful traditions and make them more of a habit.
- Teach By Example - We all learn from observing, children learn so much just from watching their parents and others around them. With simple steps like, saying thank you, holding a door open and even letting your kids know you appreciate the help they give, will all reinforce the patterns for them to continue.
- Create Daily Gratitude Family Time - Choose what works for your family and your schedule. If you tend to have a certain meal together, or maybe for your family it will be bedtime, allow everyone in your family to list 3 things they are thankful for. It does not have to be long or complicated. An example can be , “ I am thankful for holding mom’s hand at the store” .
- Share and Give Back To Your Community . Bake cookies or pick some flowers and bring them to people who your children are thankful for. Some ideas cold be neighbors, police or fire station and local mail carrier as well. You will have fun gathering/ baking together and the smiles on the receiving end will really smile.
- Involve Children - Let your children be a part of chores at home, cooking , errands. When kids see all that is involved in getting dinner prepared, getting errands done and the process of it all, it helps them see that “things don’t just happen”. They learn that it takes work, time and effort. They will learn to appreciate more of the day in day out routines.
- Volunteer With Your Children - Let them choose something that they believe in or have a passion about. Commit to some time together to volunteer in some capacity, even if it is 2 hours a month. Your heart will feel full and your children will learn about the beauty in giving back.
- A Few Ideas to Incorporate Thankfulness at Your Thanksgiving Table:
Thanksgiving Bowl
Have everyone write down one thing they are thankful for and place in a bowl, before dinner pass the bowl around and have everyone choose one to read aloud.
Thanksgiving Banner
Cut out triangles from whatever paper you have in the house, construction paper is fine, write things to be thankful for on each one, tape it to a long ribbon and place it on your mantle, or anywhere in the house. This can be one you get more crafty with if you have the interest.
Thanksgiving Table Thanks
Everyone at the table can holds hands and each person will take a turn to give thanks.
